Complaints About

Shipping In The Cooks

VARIOUS people writing and arriving in NZ from the Cook Islands have protested at the shipping freight rates being charged by the owner of a vessel which has recently commenced operations within the Group. They have noted that the rates charged are twice those charged by the Maui Pomare, the New Zealand Government vessel.

What these critics seem to have overlooked, however, is that the Maui Pomare is a heavily sub sidised vessel, operating at con siderable loss and great expense to the New Zealand taxpayers. The vessel under criticism is not sub sidised in any way, and. up to now, has operated at considerable loss.

If the people on the outer Cook Islands want better shipping con nections, as they certainly do, it seems clear that they have before them two alternatives: Either they pay higher freight rates to non government ships; or they urge the government to subsidise these vessels.

Aids to the operation of ships in the Cook Islands are almost non-existent. There is not one harbour in the group where a ship master can relax knowing that his vessel is safe; there are no docking facilities: indifferent engine-repair facilities; almost no navigation lights. Under these circumstances it is certainly not unreasonable that

freights considerably higher thaix those applying to the New Zealanr coastal trade, should be chargee in those waters.

Insurance rates are naturalll. very high, and qualified men rightll expect higher rates of pay tha:i in the coastal trade where genera conditions of food and leave an

far better.-

Jps.